Thirteenth Step - A Perfect Circle
Thirteenth Step Image
  • Summary: Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan's side project returns with a second LP on which he's backed by Jeordie "Twiggy Ramirez" White (Marilyn Manson), Billy Howerdel (Tool's guitar tech) and Josh Freese (Guns N' Roses).
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 11
  2. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Once again, A Perfect Circle have quietly produced a masterpiece that challenges the very nature of testosterone-fueled angst. [Nov 2003, p.110]
  2. Thirteenth Step is the sound of a musical and lyrical maturity that normally doesn't occur until a band's third or fourth albums.
  3. Amid such moments of clarity, however, there's the kind of meandering you originally expected from such an arty bunch. [Nov 2003, p.105]

See all 11 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 67 out of 69
  2. Negative: 1 out of 69
  1. usually when i first listen to keenans work, it takes a few listens before it leaves a lasting impression. not w/ 13th step, it immediately reeled me in. this album trudges through thick and thin addiction, suicide, and everything around and in between. but it also leaves you with a positive message of hope and satisfication, w/ the last song on the record titled, "gravity" a song about humbleness and healing from your mistakes & diseases. "i choose to live" - mjk. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. christoiphern
    4
    Turn on any clearchannel radio station, and this could be on.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. RickS
    3
    Well what can i say about Thirteenth Step, well for one, its generally dull, very boring and not at all what i expected.. Although i liked the first album(which wasn't that great but still good) I found that a perfect circle is somewhat trying too hard...Alot of the songs on thirteenth step are very weak, some songs come off as if they were trying to make the band a Mainstream TOOL, which for me(yes me) is repetitive and doesn't work.. The band itself is not really finding there style, songs like the outsider, weak and powerless, and gravity seem to have its own sound, but the rest of the album does not have a sense of uniqueness.... I really wanted to like this album(borrowing it from my friend countless times) but in the end i could only listen to prob 2 or 3 songs which i got tired of pretty off quickly, some songs were just too boring and somewhat annoying to listen through...The music doesn?t build like so many tool songs(yes i know there two different bands) and No i'm not tool freak.. While Maynard is very good on the vocal standpoint, the guitar riffs and bass was shallow, i did enjoy the work of the drums though.. Overall its like what Michael said " Between this album and Mer De Noms, you have one great album.. But I think its listen -able AT BEST Expand
    • 0 of 1 users said yes

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